A True Car Collector
“I love ‘em all. Anything old…and I’ve owned 50-60 cars since I started driving…”
by Fred Tscheulin

                What’s in your garage? In the case of the Kelly family in Beechwood Shores, it’s four cars. But the one we came to see was Jerry’s 1939 Ford four-door sedan convertible. Dartmouth green paint, newly crafted tan top, brown vinyl interior, a flat-head V-8 engine, black running boards and 5-inch whitewall tires. What a beauty!
                Jerry Kelly admits he loves cars.
                “I love ‘em all,” he said. “Anything old. I’ve never owned a new car in my life and I’ve owned 50-60 cars since I started driving. … I buy ‘em, drive ‘em and sell ‘em for more money than I paid for them.”
                For example, Jerry once owned a 1966 Ford Squire station wagon. He bought it for $500, drove it 12 years and sold it for $850. I asked Jerry of all the cars he has owned through the years (in addition to the ’39 Ford sedan convertible), which ones were his favorites? He responded in an instant: “The 1966 Ford Squire wagon, a 1966 Mustang convertible, a 1966 Mustang Fastback and a 1970 Deluxe Mustang.”
                Jerry bought his current showpiece on Father’s Day 1995. However, it was not his first ’39 Ford sedan convertible. Jerry said as a kid in 1954 his first car was a ‘39 Ford four-door sedan convertible. And as kids would do back in the 50s, he customized it, added fender skirts, dual exhaust and a new, lower profile. But the one he owns today looks as if it were just driven out of the showroom. Also of note is that 1939 was the last year Ford produced a four-door sedan convertible. In fact it’s also the last year Ford produced cars with non-sealed beam headlights and a floor-mounted gear shift lever. The ’39 four-door sedan convertible did not have isinglass side curtains; it featured the luxury of roll-up front and back windows. It utilized a removable center post between the front and back doors. When installed, it serves as a support and guide track for the roll-up windows.
                Jerry and Mitzie Kelly relocated to Smith Mountain Lake following Jerry’s retirement from the police force in Rumson, N.J. He joined the force in 1961 as a patrolman after graduating from college and rose through the ranks, retiring in 1992 as Chief of Police.
                Jerry’s interest in cars runs deep. He is a member of the Flat-Head V-8 Club, a national organization headquartered in San Diego, Calif., and the National Woody Club in Lincoln, Neb. He enjoys showing the car and has won several trophies in local events. On sunny days, you can spot Jerry in the ’39 Ford driving around the Lake with the top down or at Mariners Landing attending the SML Antique & Classic Boat Show.

                This is the fifth installment  in our series, which has also featured a 1979 Porsche 911 SC Coupe, a 1968 Camaro Z-28 Rally Sport, a 1965 Corvair convertible and a 1996 Corvette. Each one has a unique and interesting story. How about you? What’s in your garage?